3 Open-space Proposals Defeated By Suburban Voters

November 08, 1989|By Jessica Seigel.

In widespread defeats for conservation movements in the north suburbs, voters rejected open-space proposals in three townships, refusing to approve tax increases or condemnations to preserve undeveloped land.

Of three open-space proposals, the stakes were perhaps the highest in Northfield Township, which includes Glenview, Northbrook and Northfield. With most precincts reporting, the vote was 8,835 to 8,259 against creating a district to buy and preserve open land.

Voters resolved-at least for now-more than a year of emotional debate between conservationists and pro-development forces battling over the proposed district.

Voters defeated a similar proposal in Cuba Township in Lake County by a wide margin, but a proposal in Dundee Township in Kane County failed by only 25 votes.

In Northfield Township, conservationists had hoped the district would substantially reduce the size of massive commercial projects planned for Techny, one of the last large tracts of undeveloped land in northern Cook County.

``The cost of the open space was the negative to the whole issue,`` said Chris LaPaille, campaign manager for the Northfield Township Conservancy. Opposition to increased taxes, not antidevelopment sentiment, doomed the open- space proposal, LaPaille said.

Open-space opponents argued that the district would cost substantially more than the estimated $60 million and wouldn`t alleviate expected traffic congestion and possible flooding from commercial parks planned by Marathon U.S. Realties Inc., Kraft Inc. and Rubloff Inc.

In Dundee Township, which mainly includes East Dundee, West Dundee, Carpentersville and Sleepy Hollow, voters defeated by just 25 votes an open-space district expected to cost about $10 million.

The vote was 1,750 against and 1,725 in favor.

In a taxpayer revolt in north suburban Kenilworth, counted as one of the nation`s most wealthy towns, residents approved a nonbinding referendum to tie village property tax increases to the rate of inflation.

A group called Concerned Taxpayers of Kenilworth wants to hold down future property tax increases in response to an 11.9 percent village tax hike this year, more than double the 4.4 percent rate of inflation. Since 1983, village property tax increases in the town of 2,800 have averaged 6.9 percent a year, nearly double the average inflation rate of 3.6 percent during those years.

Village President Stanford Smith pointed out that the tax control measure was not mandatory. ``Nevertheless, I`m certain the Village Board of Trustees will consider the results,`` Smith said.

Kenilworth voters defeated two other referendum questions seen as critical of local government-whether to create a municipal wage scale and whether to notify all residents about village budget meetings.

In another tax control issue, Lake Zurich residents voted 4 to 1 against home rule, which would have given village government the authority to increase property taxes without a referendum.

``People are tired of taxes. They don`t want to give the government a blank check,`` said Randy Heidenfelder, who opposed home rule and is a member of the National Taxpayers United of Illinois.

Local officials insisted they wouldn`t necessarily raise taxes, but needed home rule authority to obtain cheaper financing for public works projects, such as a pipeline for Lake Michigan water expected to cost $22 million to $27 million.

But voters also rejected the pipeline by 2 to 1 and defeated a request to create a managerial form of government.

Controversies over park projects, local development, and library additions were resolved in a number of suburbs.

In Buffalo Grove, voters overwhelmingly rejected a $5.2 million water theme park which has evoked bitter opposition in the Lake-Cook County town of 32,000.

Opponents criticized the state-of-the-art center as a grandiose, extravagant and unnecessary scheme.

But parks officials and their supporters argued that the 11-acre park with two swimming pools, water slides and other amenities would meet the needs of the growing town in future years.

In Barrington, residents voted 8 to 1 against a $21 million downtown redevelopment project, but supported a smaller expansion of a Jewel shopping center on Main Street, according to town officials.

Village residents have long opposed the $21 million project as too big and out of character for bucolic Barrington, according to Village President Ted Forsberg, who was against the larger project.

In Arlington Heights, voters rejected a $7.5 million bond issuefor a library expansion.

In Kane, McHenry and Lake Counties, voters approved nominal monthly telephone fee increases to pay for enhanced 911 emergency service. With the improved systems, which will cost from 30 cents to $1.50 per phone line each month, emergency dispatchers automatically know the telephone number and address of 911 callers.

The margin of victory was 2 to 1 in both Kane and McHenry Counties.

In Lake County, a 911 proposal won easily, along with 911 questions on a number of town ballots.

In Cook County, voters overwhelmingly approved paying for the improved 911 service in Glenview, Hoffman Estates, Park Ridge and Wheeling.